Drying and cleaning hides



May 30, 1933. P HERTZSCH DRYING AND CLEANING HIDES Filed Aug.. 1, 1929 Int 621E02 v faal fierfzscfi Zy Ally Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT 0F FICE DRYING AND CLEANING Application filed August 1, 1929, Serial No.

My invention refers to means whereby hides can be dried and cleaned in a more perfect manner than was hitherto possible.

Hitherto hides, in order to be dried, were 5 suspended in Wet condition from rods d1sposed in large drying chambers and were exposed to the action of hot air. However, this way of drying the hides consumes much time and requires large chambers. Further- 0 more in consequence of an uneven distribution of the hot air the hides are not uniformly brought in contact with the air, those disposed near the air inlet being dried more quickly than those near the, outlet. For the air on passing through the drying chamber transmits its heat to the first hides which it encounters, while taking up the moisture and being cooled correspondingly.

The cleaning of the hides has hitherto been carried through separately from the drying, however more especially if dyed hides are treated, much time is consumed in the cleaning process.

According to the present invention these drawbacks are avoided, the hides to be dried and, if desired, to be also cleaned being arranged in a tightly closed rotary drum in which they areexposed to hot air which is 0 constantly removed from the drum by suction together with the vapors of moisture developed by evaporation, so that the container is partly evacuated, whereby the. drying process is greatly shortened.

In the same manner the hides may be either dried or cleaned separately, or boththe drying and cleaning can be carried out in'one' operation.

Preferably the quantity of fresh airin- 0 troduced into the drum can be adjusted by suitable throttling means, such as a valve, cook, or the like and the air supply pipe is preferably heated by the source of heatwhich also heats the drum itself.

It is important-that by the means mentioned above the quantity of air introduced into and sucked from the drum can be regulatedin such manner that a predetermined vacuum can be permanently maintained with- J in the drum.- A gauge or manometer can be 382,729, and in German yAugust 14, 1928.

'the hides.

Hides fixed on boards under tension may be dried also in the drum.

In the drawing aflixed to the specification and forming part thereof a drying and cleaning device embodying my invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In thedrawing Fig. 1. is an axial section, while Fig. 2 is a cross-section.

Referring to the drawing, a is a drum, 6 is the metal wall and c, d are the wooden end walls or covers. e, f are journals fixed in the covers 0, d andg, h are bearings supporting them. The journals 6,) are hollow and connected by means of stufiing boxes t, t with the air supply pipe 1; and suction pipe 2', respectively. Z is a pulley or the like mounted on the journal 6, m is a pan or other heating 75 means arranged below the drum and the lower part at of the air supply pipe. a is a regulating valve inserted in this pipe and s is a manometer mounted on th pipe k.- g are perforated plates covering the openings of the 80 hollow journals 6, f.

p are wooden boards orledges fixed to the inner cylindrical wall of the drum and projecting radially into it and 0 is a manhole.

On the hides having been introduced into 5 the drum through the manhole 0, the drum is set rotating and air is introduced through pipes n, 70 and journals 6, while suction is produced in pipe 2' by means of a suitable pump (not shown) The air entering through n, h is heated in it passage over the pan on and the air 'in'the drum a is heated also. The valve 1' allo s regulating the quantity of air entering th drum and themano meter 8 allowswatching the vacuum in the drum.

The hides in'the drum are carried along by the ledges p and onreaching the top of the drum will drop down to be carried along anew by another ledge. In this mannorthe hides are exposed on all sides to contact with the hot air and the moisture is evacuated therefrom 'by the partial vacuum maintained in the drum, in consequence of the difierence between the air pressure at e and If cleaning agents have been introduced into the drum together with the hides, the drying of the hides will be accompanied by a cleaning action.

Various changes may tails disclosed in the foregoing specification without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim 1. The method of drying and cleaning I hides comprising moving such hides in the presence of a mechanical cleaner, and subjecting said hides and said cleaner to a 'flow of heated air at a pressure below atmospheric while retaining said mechanical cleaner against entl'aining by said flow.

2. The. method of drying and cleaning hides comprising moving such hides in the presence of a mechanical cleaner, and subject'- ing said hides and said cleaner to a flow' of heated air at a constant pressure below atmospheric while retaining said. mechanical cleaner against entraining by said flow.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

' PAUL HERTZSCH.

be made in the de- 

